This electric bike wants to set a new land speed record

The rather shadowy silhouette you see above is called the Voxan Wattman, and it’s an electric motorbike that’s gunning for a new land speed record.

If you’re into your bikes you may have heard of Voxan. The French manufacturer was established back in 1995, but was forced into liquidation in 2009. Not long after that the brand was acquired by its new parent company, Venturi.

You may also have heard of them. Venturi used to build petrol-powered sports cars up until its buyout by Monegasque resident Gildo Pastor in 2000. It then switched its focus to electric power and is now an established Formula E team – counting Felipe Massa as one of its drivers.

Predictably, much Formula E tech and brains have been used in the development of the Wattman. It’ll need it too, given that the record its aiming for is set at 204mph.

That speed was achieved way back in 2013 by the Lightning SB220, and the rules state that the bike can only be partially streamlined, must weigh less than 300kg and can only be one-wheel drive.

Voxan and Venturi’s record attempt is pencilled in for 2020, when two-time World Superbike champion and all-round brave man Max Biaggi will run the Wattman at the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia.

The whole project relates to Venturi’s ‘Global Challenges’ campaign which aims to demonstrate the potential of extreme EVs and saw the company set the electric land speed record for things on four wheels back in September 2016. The brilliantly named Buckeye Bullet 3’s speed of 341mph means it still reigns today too.

So our question to you, TG bike fans, will electric power catch on in the two-wheeled world? Let us know your thoughts below…